Ditching-machine.



PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

H. WEHMILLER.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Mn 27, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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Witnesses Inventor Patented December 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WVEHMILLER, OF CLARINDA, IO'WA.

DlTCHING-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 776,576, datedDecember 6, 1904.

I Application filed May 27, 1904. $eria1No. 210,124. (No model.)

;'this character of improved construction and increased efficiency.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the inventioncapable of carrying the same into practical operation, it beingunderstood that the invention is not necessarilylimited thereto, asvarious changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of theparts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right istherefore reserved of making all the changes and modifications whichfairly fall within the scope of the in Vention and the claims madetherefor.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partiallyin section, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, also partially in section, of theimproved apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of a part of theapparatus.

The improved apparatus is supported upon a bed-frame of suitable sizeand strength and mounted upon carrying-wheels 11 12 and also carrying asuitable motor (indicated at 13) for transmitting motion to the cuttingmechanism and which may also be employed for transmitting motion to thetraction-wheels when such means for moving the machine is employed.

Any suitable means may be employed for drawing the frame and itsattachments over the ground; but as these form no part of the presentinvention they are not illustrated.

Attached rigidly to the side members of the frame 10 areoppositely-disposed brackets 14 15, having segmental slots or elongatedbearings, one of which is shown at 16, in which the ends of a shaft 17are rotatively mounted and suitably supported from end movement, as bycollars 18 19. The brackets 14 are also provided, respectively, withsegmental gear-racks, one of which is shown at 20, with which pinions 2223, rigidly attached to the shaft 17, engage, the object and operationto be hereinafter explained.

Mounted for free rotation upon the shaft 17 is a wheel (represented as awhole at 24) having a plurality of spaced peripheral pockets orreceivers 25 open at the sides and provided with tangentially-disposedcutting members 26 for cutting the material and guiding it into thepockets as the wheel is rotated. The open sides of the pockets 25 areprovided with doors or closures 27 28, hinged, respectively, at theintake ends of the pockets, as at 29 30, so that as the wheel is rotatedthe doors will open by gravity when the wheel reaches a certainpredetermined position to discharge the contents of the pockets, ashereinafter explained. Attached to or forming a part of the wheel is agear-rim 31, concentric to the shaft 17 Mounted for rotationtransversely of the frame 10 is a shaft 32, and pivoted by one end at 33to this shaft is a radius-frame formed of two spaced side members 34 35,passing each side of the wheel 24 and pivoted by their free ends to theshaft 17, as at 36 37.

Connected to the shaft 17 and partaking of its motion is a worm-gear 38,and extending from the radius member 34 are spaced standards 39 40 andcarrying a shaft 41, having at one end an operating-crank 42 and at theother end. a worm-pinion 54 for engaging the worm-gear 38.

Mounted for rotation upon the radius member, as by bearings 43 44, is acounter-shaft 45, having at one end a pinion 46 for engaging thegear-rim 31 and at the other end a bevel-pinion 47, engaged by a similarbevelpinion 48 on the shaft 32. The shaft 32 is connected to beoperated, as by a chain 49 leading from the motor 13 to a chain-wheel 50on the shaft.

Guard members 51 52 will preferably be connected to the radius membersand curved concentrically to the wheel 24: to extend in close proximityto the compartment-closures 27 28 to maintain them in closed positionuntil they arrive at the point where they are to be discharged.

In operating the machine the cutting-wheel 24: is elevated above theground by rotating the worm-pinion 54 backwardly and the machine drawnto the starting-point of the ditch and motion imparted to thecutting-wheel and the same lowered gradually by rotating the worm-pinionforwardly, the wheel cutting as it moves downwardly and forcing theexcavated earth into the pockets 25. The closures 27 28 are held closedby the sides of the ditch while the same are beneath the ground and areheld closed by the guard members 51 52 after they pass above the groundand until they pass the upper ends of the same, when the closures willfall open by gravity and by hanging at an outward and downward inclineform chutes to carry the earth falling from the compartments away fromthe wheel and discharge it along the banks outside the framework 10. Asthe cutting-wheel continues to revolve the open closure striking theside members of the frame 10 are closed thereby in position for the nextaction. Thus the action of the cutting-wheel is entirely automatic andcuts a uniform-sized ditch and is of any desired depth within the rangeof the guide members 14 15.

The machine can be constructed of any required size and of any requiredstrength or material, is very simple in construction, and will operateefficiently for the purposesdescribed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In aditching-machine, a supportingframe for movement over the ground andhaving oppositely-disposed segmental guide members provided withsegmental gear-racks, a shaft mounted for rotation in said guide membersand having gear-pinions for engaging the racks therein, a wheel mountedfor rotation upon said shaft and having a plurality of spaced pockets inits periphery and with tangentially-disposed cutting members for guidingthe material into said pockets, means for discharging the materiallaterally from the pockets, a gear-wheel carried by said cuttingwheel, aradius-frame pivoted by the ends respectively to said frame and to saidshaft, a pinion carried by said radius-frame for engaging saidgear-wheel, means for rotating said gear-pinions for operating saidcuttingwheel, and means for rotating said shaft to adjust saidcutting-wheel vertically.

2. In a ditching machine, a supportingframe for movement over the groundand having oppositely-disposed segmental guide members provided withsegmental gear-racks, a shaft mounted for rotation in said guide membersand having gear-pinions for engaging the racks therein, a wheel mountedfor rotation upon said shaft and having a plurality of spaced pockets inits periphery and with tangentially-disposed cutting members for guidingthe material into said pockets, means for discharging the materiallaterally from the pockets, means carried by said frame for rotatingsaid wheel, and means forindependently rotating said shaft to adjustsaid wheel vertically relative to said frame. 4

3. In a ditching-machine, a wheel for rotative movement toward its workand formed with a plurality of spaced pockets in its periphery and withtangentially-disposed cutting members for guiding the material into saidpockets, said pockets being open at the sides and having closing-valvesswinging from the intake ends of the pockets, whereby the valves willopen by gravity at a certain predetermined point in the rotation of thewheel.

4r. In a ditching-machine, a wheel for rotative movement toward its workand formed with a plurality of spaced pockets in its pe I riphery andwith tangentially-disposed cut ting members for guiding the materialinto said pockets, said pockets being open at the sides and havingclosingvalves swinging from the intake ends of the pockets, and stopmembers for engaging said valves to hold them closed until they reach acertain predetermined point in the rotation of the wheel.

5. In a ditching-machine, a supportingframe for movement over the groundand having oppositely-disposed segmental guide members provided withsegmental gear-racks, a shaft mounted for rotation in said guide membersand-having gear-pinions for engaging the racks therein, a wheel mountedfor rotation upon said shaft and having a plurality of spaced pockets inits periphery and tangentially-disposed cutting members for guiding thematerial into said pockets, means for discharging the material laterallyfrom the pockets, a shaft mounted for rotation upon said frame, aradius-frame pivoted by one end to said frame-supported shaft and by theother end to said wheel-supporting shaft, a gear-wheel carried by saidcutting-wheel, a counter-shaft carried for rotation upon saidradius-frame and having at one end a gearpinion for engagement with saidcutting-wheel gear and at the other end having a bevelpinion engaging abevel-pinion on said framesupported shaft, means for rotating theframesupported shaft for transmitting motion to said cutting-wheel, andmeans for rotating said cutting-wheel-supporting shaft for verticallyadjusting the cutting-wheel.

6. In a ditching-machine, a supportingframe for movement over the groundand having oppositely-disposed segmental guide members provided withsegmental gear-racks,

a shaft mounted for rotation in said guide members and havinggear-pinions for enga ing the racks therein, a Wheel mounted forrotation upon said shaft and having a plurality of spaced pockets in itsperiphery and With tangentially-disposed cutting members for guiding thematerial into said pockets, means for discharging the material laterallyfrom the pockets, a shaft mounted for rotation upon said frame, aradius-frame pivoted by one end to said frame-supported shaft and by theother end to said Wheel-supporting shaft, a gear-Wheel carried by saidcutting- Wheel, a counter-shaft carried for rotation upon saidradius-frame and having at one end a gear-pinion for engagement withsaid outting-Wheel gear and at the other end having a bevel-pinionengaging a bevel-pinion on said frame-supported shaft, means forrotating G. W. BISBEE, WM. WEHMILLER.

